Tuesday 30 / April / 2024
SALALAH: Oman have been clubbed with Malaysia, United States and Fiji in Group D of the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey5s World Cup Oman 2024, which will be held in Muscat from January 24-31.
The draw of the prestigious event was held at a glittering ceremony in Salalah in the presence of FIH President Tayyab Ikram, chief guest H.H. Sayyid Firas bin Fatik Al Said and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth Basil bin Ahmed Al Rawas.
In the women’s event, hosts Oman were drawn in Pool A along with Malaysia, Fiji and Netherlands. Australia, South Africa, Ukraine and Zambia are placed in Pool B. India, United States, Poland and Namibia are in Pool C, while New Zealand, Uruguay, Thailand and Paraguay complete Pool D.
In the men’s competition Netherlands were drawn with Pakistan, Poland and Nigeria in Pool A.
India, Egypt, Switzerland and Jamaica will compete in Pool B. Australia, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago and Kenya are placed in Pool C.
The 16 men’s and women’s teams from around the world will all be vying to become the first ever Hockey5s World Champions when the World Cup gets underway on January 24.
FIH President Ikram, in his message congratulated all the 32 teams that qualified for the FIH Hockey5s World Cup and said: “I would like to congratulate all the 16 men’s and women’s teams that will be a part of the record books as the first teams to compete in an FIH Hockey5s World Cup. You represent the very best of Hockey5s; and you will be the trailblazers and the role models for all future players who take up this new and exciting format of our beloved sport”
Speaking about the new era that the FIH Hockey5s World Cup 2024 ushers in, he added: “The draw ceremony today not only sets up the path to the gold medal for our teams, but also heralds the dawn of a new era in Hockey. Hockey5s is not just a very exciting format, but it is also a highly accessible version of Hockey that I am sure will inspire even more youngsters to pick up the stick and the ball and start playing our beautiful sport.
“Special thanks to Oman Hockey Association as they will, as we know it, put together a fantastic show for the inaugural Hockey5s World Cup.”
Oman qualified as host nation for the tournament but featured in the Hockey5s Asia Cup that concluded in Salalah on Saturday. In the men’s event, Oman finished third to pick up a bronze after defeating Malaysia.
India won the men’s and women’s titles. India men along with Pakistan and Malaysia made it from Asia while India women qualified along with Thailand and Malaysia.
